State hopes smoking ban is a motivator

Tennessee Commissioner of Health Susan R. Cooper said the statewide ban on smoking in public places which takes effect Monday may be just the impetus some people need to kick the tobacco habit.

Cooper spoke by telephone with the Times-Gazette on Tuesday afternoon from her office in Nashville.

In hopes of helping people quit, the state has established a free "Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine" which gives smokers their own individual coach. A smoker can call as often as necessary and be re-connected to the same counselor each time. The state will also send out a free "quit kit" to those who call the QuitLine. The number is (800) QUIT-NOW, which is (800) 784-8669 (some phones don't have "Q" listed under 7, however).

Without a big publicity campaign, the QuitLine has already drawn thousands of callers, said Cooper. The state plans a marketing push in the coming weeks and expects many more will call then.

"We'd like to see the QuitLine over-used," said Cooper.

The new law which takes effect Monday bans smoking in all enclosed public places, with a few very specific exceptions. The ban applies to many different situations; not only restaurants, hotels, motels and health care facilities, but also restrooms, lobbies, apartment building corridors and common areas, retail stores and educational facilities.

Individuals who smoke in a non-smoking area face a $50 fine. Business owners who fail to enforce the rules can face a warning on first offense, a $100 fine on second offense and a $500 fine on third and later offenses.

Cooper said the health department feels good about reception to the ban so far.

"I think it is being very well received," she said. "We want to set people up to succeed with this."

She said the idea is not for the state to become the "smoking police" but for non-smokers to be protected from second-hand smoke.

"This is really a step in the right direction for improving the health of Tennessee," she said. The state ranks high on lists of health-related problems caused by problem behaviors like smoking.

As more people become used to the ban, and as smoking decreases, the ban "will become self-policing," said Cooper.

Cooper said that the ban makes this "a great time" for people to try to quit smoking, as the ban forces them to change habits and gathering places. She said that one-on-one counseling like that provided by the QuitLine works hand-in-hand with medical treatments like nicotine replacement gums or patches. She said one-on-one coaching programs have been shown to be quite effective.

"We're really excited," said Cooper.